Everything's Alright
by Rudie Fenton
Summary: Onika didn't believe in destiny. She didn't believe in prophecies or that her future was "set in stone". She believed she had control over her life. Onika believed she could become whatever she wanted, without worrying about unwanted influences. But not everyone shared her views. Not everyone believed the future was as fluid as she did. *Part I of Everything's Alright.*
1. Chapter 1: Onika Scarlett de Rossi

_Die, die, we all pass away,_

 _But don't wear a frown 'cause it's really okay,_

 _And you might try and hide,_

 _And you might try and pray,_

 _But we all end up the remains of the day_

-Remains of the Day; **from Corpse Bride** (2005)

* * *

Onika stared. She studied and she observed and she _stared_. She looked at the civilians and she looked at the buildings. She watched cars and buses drive by, and she listened to the noise. Onika wanted to take in every little detail of Amity Park. She wanted to feel the atmosphere, breathe in the normality of it all. The people, the city - they were so unassuming, so _natural_. They emitted such a typical human environment, it almost blew Onika's mind. How could people live like that? How could they be _comfortable_ like that? The humans who occupied Amity Park, who occupied so many cities, towns, and villages around the world displayed similar traits. They were probably _expressed_ differently, but they were similar in a sense. Onika couldn't understand that. She wasn't entirely accustomed to really seeing it. In her fourteen years of life, she had to keep her focus on other things. Things people wouldn't really understand.

Life was, in Onika's eyes, very difficult. At least, she viewed _her_ life as difficult. She and her mother, Francine, had various ups and downs over the years, and things only seemed to be stabilizing recently. And with Onika's father not in the picture, that made things more complicated. Francine had to do her best to be mother _and_ father, while Onika had to make sure she didn't draw too much attention to herself. If her presence was known in any way, shape, or form, then she'd be in big trouble. And that was putting it lightly.

Looking down at her hands, Onika frowned a little. They looked human. Average. Olive skin to go with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. Part of her Sicilian heritage. A slim figure, from a high metabolism, and smaller than average, a trait that ran in her mother's family. Was that funny to her? How short she was? Maybe. Onika liked to think her humanity was a bit humorous. It made her feel normal, even if it's just for a moment. But then she'd be drawn back to reality.* Humanity was the one thing that seemed to hold her back, but it was, apparently, essential in her development. In order to fully realize her potential, and the importance of her future, Onika needed to embrace her humanity. She found that to be a bunch of bullshit. Sure, she appreciated what it looked like and felt like to be human, but she also appreciated what it was like to be a ghost. Onika learned to appreciate her powers and how it made her feel invincible. Of course, she wasn't really invincible, it was just a fleeting sensation whenever her powers manifested.

Looking up, Onika scrunched her nose up a little. She grew up the child of two worlds. One human, the other ghost. She was said to be a prophetic child, one who'd bring about the collapse of one world in order to ensure the rise of another. Onika's human and ghost halves were supposed to symbolize an inner conflict, something that was supposed to be deep and profound. She'd struggle a bit, trying to find out the meaning of her life, but she'd come to some big conclusion and realize that her duties had importance. Prophecies, destinies, all that crap. Onika didn't believe in it. She didn't see it as anything but a complete waste of time. People who kept their heads buried in that kind of stuff were hiding from reality. The world didn't function on prophetic realizations or whatever. The real world ran on the time and effort it takes to survive. Onika and her mother had to learn that the hard way. Prophecies didn't make money. Prophecies didn't ensure jobs or get someone a house. They made people delusional. Plain and simple.

But then again, what would Onika know, right? At only fourteen years old, she wasn't supposed to know that kind of stuff.

 **Allons-y**

"So, what do you think?" Looking down at her daughter, Francine crossed her arms over her chest. A common sign of nervousness. Amity Park certainly wouldn't have been the _first_ choice for a new place to live, but out of all the other options, it was the best one. Not a big city, but not too small, either. Not really overcrowded, but still a healthy amount of people. Francine liked it; but Onika was a different story.

"It's different."

The two were walking down the street, doing a little sightseeing in hopes of adjusting to their new environment. It had been Francine's idea to do so. If Onika had been the one to make a choice, she would've picked staying their apartment. An option Francine wasn't particularly fond of. She was an active woman, the kind of person who had to keep moving to avoid any form of restlessness. Onika was the opposite.

"Well, _yeah_ ," Francine replied. "It's different than Oceanside. _Way_ different, if you ask me."

"I liked Oceanside," Onika murmured.

"I know, but it wasn't exactly _safe_."

Oceanside was the last city the two lived in. It's known for being extremely violent and filled with corruption. Both were true. Onika got to witness fights, muggings, and murders firsthand. Francine had to worry about whether or not they'd be targeted for whatever reason. Burglaries were common in Oceanside. If one didn't happen at some point, it'd be considered strange. Onika, on the other hand, didn't really share her mother's concerns. Sure, there were dangers in the city, but it was the perfect place to practice Onika's ghost powers. All the criminals that lived there were practically _begging_ to be target practice. Francine didn't like it; not one bit. But it was keeping them safe.

"No one ever messed with us," Onika replied.

"Because you were making a statement," Francine responded. "Which could've put us in more danger."

Onika only shrugged in response. If using her ghost powers on Oceanside's criminals put her and her mother in more danger, then she'd have more opportunities to practice on them. That's _if_ Francine allowed them to stay longer.

"Can't we just focus on what's going on _now_?" Francine asked, looking almost defeated. "We finally got a nice apartment in a decent-sized city. Isn't that the _least_ bit exciting?"

"Amity Park seems nice and all," Onika said. "I just don't know how comfortable I am with it yet."

"That's better than nothing."

The two continued to walk, looking at buildings and observing other inhabitants. Francine seemed genuinely curious about Amity Park. She wanted to know as much as possible about her new home. It was endearing. The idea of wanting to know more was a common human trait, one Onika knew was socially acceptable. In a way, she felt that nagging feeling to want to know more, but she tried not to outwardly show it. Her curiosity was something she typically kept to herself.

 _Think of all the practice you can do here,_ a small voice in the back of her head whispered. Onika's brows furrowed. _Plenty of targets. Get strong, become a good fighter. It's what you're made to do. Right?_

Pursing her lips. Onika tried to shake the thought from her head. She'd never use her powers on innocent civilians. That was something she was completely against. Anyone who'd use violence on innocents were the worst of the worst. Onika _hated_ people like that.

 _But you're like that,_ the voice whispered, _very deep down. You know you are. You try and deny it, but you know it's there._

No. Violence wasn't in Onika's nature. She'd never use her powers on people who didn't deserve it. And that was the motto she lived by - only people who'd done something horribly wrong deserved her punishment. Criminals, they do things wrong all the time. They _hurt_ people. Onika only returned the favor on them. But that voice - that _damn_ voice. It was lying. Onika wasn't a bad person. She wasn't evil or vindictive. She didn't see herself like that. She saw herself as someone. Plain and simple.

 _It's in your blood. You can't keep denying it. Eventually, He'll come for you and you'll have to make a choice._

No. Onika stopped at that point. She came to a complete stop. She liked to think she could handle a lot of things, but mentioning _Him_ was a subject she could not tolerate. Even _hinting_ Him was stepping into unwanted territory. Onika's arms immediately wrapped around her, her shoulders hunching over and her eyes casting downward. Her mouth thinned and her skin broke out into goosebumps. That was the kind of reaction _He_ had on her. Complete emotional shutdown.

"Nika?" Francine stopped, turning to look at her daughter confusedly. Realization hit her instantly. "Let's go home," she said. "We've done enough sightseeing for today."

 **Allons-y**

 _His_ reputation in the Ghost Zone was quite impressive. Feared far and wide by all _kinds_ of ghosts - nice, right? Even the most successful ghost hunters within that ectoplasmic dimension would think twice before considering _Him_ a target. How considerate. _He_ had to admit, though, there were a lot of perks of being so feared, of gathering so much power. Ghosts tended to do _His_ dirty work for _Him_. Not too bad. Naturally, failure was unacceptable. Anyone who failed to meet _His_ demands were annihilated on the spot.

Of course, there was always that one little problem no one could seem to help with. The whereabouts of _His_ daughter. She lived in the human world, with her mother. Not an ideal place for a halfa, but _He_ was curious to see what would happen. Would she become attached to the humans, or choose to be with ghosts? For the most part, it seemed as though humans kept her fascination. Fourteen years, and she didn't show an _inkling_ of wanting to live in the Ghost Zone. How disappointing. But _He_ knew she'd come to a decision eventually. Halfas were rare, but the ones to pop up every now and again were always powerful. Aside from _His_ daughter, there were only two other halfas to exist on Earth at that very moment. One in Wisconsin, and the other in Amity Park. Where Onika lived. How pleasant. Would they ever encounter each other? _He_ wanted to know.

But _He_ had time. _Plenty_ of time.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter, but here it is! I know it's not the best, and I apologize if there's anything that may come off as confusing or oddly said. I'm a bit rusty when it comes to my writing, so I'm hoping you guys can be a bit forgiving in that area. Other than that, please give constructive criticism, okay?* I'd appreciate any help from you guys on how I can improve my writing and this story. So, yeah.**

 **Do I own Danny Phantom? No. No I do not. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the socks on my feet. If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot, please PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Also, be sure to leave a random fact or story in the review section. It could be on something new or old. I don't care, it's up to you guys.**

 **On that note, see you on the flip side.**

 **Rudie Fenton**


	2. Chapter 2: Forbidden Existence

_You're sayin' those words like you hate me now,_

 _Our house is burning when you're raisin' hell,_

 _Here in the ashes your soul cries out,_

 _Don't be afraid of these thunderclouds_

-Thunderclouds; **by Labrinth, Sia, & Diplo**

* * *

The walk back to their apartment seemed longer than normal. Onika's heart had started pounding in her chest, her breathing becoming somewhat labored. Just a single thought of _Him_ sent the fourteen year old into a panic attack. No, the beginning stages of a panic attack. It was frustrating, knowing _He_ still had that kind of power over her, but it was to be expected. Being such a powerful ghost, it only made sense, right? Even if _He_ wasn't there physically, _He_ 'd be there psychologically.

Onika couldn't help but scowl at that. She hated how much influence her father still had over her life. The reason _He_ was locked away was because of _His_ immense power, because of how threatening _He_ was to the Ghost Zone and Earth.

 _That didn't stop Him from seducing mom,_ Onika thought. _It didn't stop Him from ruining mom's life and mine._

It was true. Before _His_ imprisonment - _years_ before _His_ imprisonment - _He_ managed to single out Francine de Rossi out of the millions, if not _billions_ , of other women on Earth. _He_ seduced her, resulting in a forbidden pregnancy. In all honesty, it was rather surprising Francine got pregnant at _all_. The idea of a human and a ghost having a child seemed impossible. But. . .Onika was born nine months later. Her very existence was the cause of an uproar in the Ghost Zone. The first natural halfa. She didn't get her powers from an accident, she was _born_ with them. Ghosts from all around debated whether Onika should be allowed to live or die. Needless to say, _He_ taught them all a lesson. That was the story Francine told.

"Any ghost who dared lay a finger on you was annihilated by your father," Francine had said. " _He_ didn't want you to be harmed by them. _He_ didn't want you to be influenced by them. Your father was very possessive of you, and it didn't take me long to realize why."

Knowing that _He_ was _that_ possessive over her sent chills up Onika's spine. Why couldn't she have been born human? Being half-human wasn't the same. It made her feel confused, unsure about her own existence. Was that part of _His_ plan? To make her so riled up about her heritage that she started second-guessing herself? It wouldn't be very surprising. Manipulation seemed to be _His_ main form of entertainment.

Onika let out a sharp breath. Her heart was beating even faster. She felt her face heating up.

 _Of all the times to have a panic attack,_ she thought miserably. It was almost hilarious, but at the same time it was heartbreaking. Onika hated the panic attacks, she hated the thought of _Him_ , she hated all the things that made her life complicated.

Scowling slightly, Onika tried to find something to distract herself. She couldn't afford to keep thinking like that. It was only making her panic worse. It was making the air seem thicker and her body seem heavier. Thinking those thoughts made her heart beat painfully against her ribs and her blood run cold. What was the point of trying to feel better while suffering a panic attack, if one keeps bringing up the main source of the panic? It didn't make any sense.*

"We're almost home," Francine exclaimed, keeping an arm wrapped around her daughter's shoulders.

Home. It was a nice word, one that _almost_ made Onika feel the teensiest bit better. But the word "home" still brought waves of uncertainty through the teen's body. She wasn't used to Amity Park yet, she had no way of knowing how living in such a new place would turn out. Maybe it'd be completely different from Oceanside, but new places always had new problems. Onika just wanted to know what Amity Park's problems would be. Were the people snobby? Did the city have its own unique form of criminal activity? What was it? What did Onika have to look forward to?

And most importantly, what did Onika have to fear?

 **Allons-y**

The de Rossi apartment was in no way glamorous or high-end, but it was affordable. Rent and other luxuries were within Francine's budget, which was a major plus. On top of that, Onika gets her own bathroom. Both mother and daughter were satisfied with the outcome of their new home. But in the teen's current state of mind, still panicking and reeling over what happened earlier, the comfort of the apartment was no longer appealing. Instead, Onika was starting to think a mile a minute. Her brain was going haywire with thoughts and questions, worries that seemed to have no solution in sight. It was frustrating, and it only made things worse. The one thing Onika was thankful for was her mother's love and caring attitude.

"Okay, okay, okay," Francine murmured, locking the front door behind her. It seemed like it took a lifetime to get back to the apartment, but the duo actually made it. Turning to look at Onika, a wave of sadness washed over the mother. To see her daughter look so distraught, and try so hard to keep herself composed, was something no mother wanted to see. "Honey, why don't you go lay down," Francine suggested. "I can get you water or something light to eat. Do you want me to open your window or anything?"

"I just need to be alone for a little bit," Onika murmured. She scurried off to her bedroom, ignoring her mother's calls. Sure, Francine wanted to do what she could to help, but the teen needed alone time in order to clear her head. She owed herself that much. Once she made it to her bedroom, Onika closed the door behind her and locked it. Privacy was something the fourteen year old appreciated greatly, and Francine knew better than anyone to interfere with that, even if she didn't agree with it. Slowly sliding down her closed door, Onika let out a shaky breath. She had done everything in her power to keep herself composed. Having a panic attack in such a public setting was something the teen tried to avoid. She didn't want people to see her in such a vulnerable state. That was the main reason why she tried to keep herself as composed as possible. Francine knew that Onika did her best to keep her vulnerabilities inside, even when they were starting to come out she tried to keep them buried.

 _What's gotten into you?_ Onika thought bitterly. _Thinking about Him in public? You know how you get when you think about him. That's unacceptable._

 _He_ was a subject that was regularly ignored - at least, to the very best of their abilities - in the de Rossi family. _His_ looming presence was one Francine and Onika wanted to forget altogether, but even in _His_ absence, _He_ still had some power over them. It was infuriating, how _He_ could still do that. Any hopes of wanting even an _average_ life was ruined by _Him_.

Swallowing thickly, Onika started fiddling with the ends of her hair. It was an odd habit of hers, one that sometimes helped ease some tension. The teen's hair was relatively long, going a bit past her waist if left down. And since moving to Amity Park, Onika took it upon herself to have a new hairstyle. It took a lot of consideration, but she ultimately decided to leave her hair down, but at least have _some_ of it pinned back into a bun. By not having all of her hair pinned back in some way, like she'd usually have it before arriving to Amity Park, it gave the teen a sense of freedom. It was an empowering feeling, being able to see her hair flow freely in the wind, to move around her as she walked. But there was almost something off about her hair in the midst of a panic attack. Seeing it down, even if some of it was pinned up, made her panic worsen some. Onika's father had always been so particular in how her hair should be styled. _He_ wanted her to look a certain way, and with her hair down, she was going against _His_ demands. That free feeling didn't feel so great anymore.

Her blood started to run cold at that. Her skin broke out into goosebumps, her mind reeling. Why was Onika tormenting herself so much? Why was she concerning herself with _Him_? _He_ wasn't in her life anymore. _He_ was locked away in the Ghost Zone, far from her and Francine. Yet. . .Onika still managed to think of _Him_. She still managed to work herself into a panic attack over the likes of _Him_.

 _Moving to Amity Park was the best decision mom could've made,_ Onika thought, her mind still reeling from her emotions. _You've got a nice apartment, you're out of Oceanside, even if you did like it._

Closing her eyes, Onika tried to remember the coping mechanisms she'd learned. It was something she developed over the years, a system to help her when her emotions got the better of her. For the most part, it worked. If any kind of negative emotion started wreaking havoc in Onika's mind, she'd use her coping skills to calm herself down. She couldn't afford to have any kind of negativity tormenting her. Some of her emotions were connected to her various ghost abilities, so it was a bit of a hit-and-miss on what would happen if something went awry.

 _Remember all the good you've had over the years,_ Onika thought, trying to pull happier memories forward. _Remember all the good times you've had with mom - all the things that have made you smile. Remember those, and try and recall those emotions. The happiness and joy. . .don't forget what that felt like._

Taking deep breaths, the fourteen year old pulled up as many happy memories as she could. She focused on those moments, how happy she'd been with her mother. Onika also tried to focus on the _feelings_ she had those days. By recalling those emotions, she could hope to overpower her panic. That was essential. That had to be her main focus until she calmed down.

 _Happiness._

 _Joy._

 _Wonder._

 _Fascination._

 _Gratefulness._

 _Enthusiasm._

Letting out a deep breath, Onika opened her eyes. The panic was starting to slowly fade away, and her body started calming down. She felt her heart rate slow, her breathing even out. Her head wasn't spinning, and everything felt so much better.

 _Just remember those feelings, and everything will be okay._ Onika felt her hands, shakily, let go of her hair. She'd have to give herself a couple minutes before leaving her bedroom. Obviously, Francine would be worried out of her mind. But the teen could only hope she wouldn't be bombarded with questions.

 **Allons-y**

Francine was worried. She was worried, _terrified_ , and confused. One minute, she was enjoying a bit of sightseeing with Onika; next, there was a panic attack ravaging her daughter. Francine couldn't believe it. In her mind, it felt like a lifetime since the fourteen year old ever _had_ such an episode, let alone in _public_. Francine tried getting herself and Onika home as quickly as possible, but it didn't feel fast enough. By the time the duo reached the apartment building, the teen looked like she was about to _bust_. Her face was a bit flushed and her body was as stiff as could be.* Onika's eyes were too focused on what was in front of her and her lips were pursed into a thin line. Francine felt panic rise in her seeing her daughter in such a state. But, as she expected from the ordeal, her daughter managed to somewhat keep her composure until they reached their home.

That was when Onika locked herself in her bedroom.

Francine hated that. She absolutely _hated_ that. If she could have it her way, she'd sit Onika down and try and comfort her. But of _course_ , that was something her daughter was against. Onika didn't like to be coddled if she could help it. She wanted to be emotionally independent. The teen didn't want to be _smothered_ by someone else's affections. Which was ridiculous. Francine wanted that emotional connection with her daughter. She wanted to bond with her, to have little moments of mother-daughter time. But it felt like Onika was slipping away. When her daughter was younger, there was that little bit of a connection, but it seemed to have dissipated as the years went on.

 _How pathetic,_ Francine thought, her eyes looking down at her hands. _You can't even bond with your own child. What kind of parent are you?_

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **First off, I'd like to apologize for the wait on this chapter. I was having a bit of writer's block, so I chose to push this to the side until I knew what I wanted to write. Needless to say, I didn't necessarily expect this kind of outcome, but I really shouldn't complain. I'll let you guys tell me what you liked and what could use improvement. So, yeah. Constructive criticism is always welcome!**

 **Do I own Danny Phantom? No. No I don't. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the bed I sleep on. If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Also, if you guys have any random facts or stories on something you've learned lately, be sure to leave it in the reviews. It could be on something new or on something old. It's up to you guys.**

 **With that, I'll see you on the flip side.**

 **Rudie Fenton**


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